The expedition ANT-XXIV/1

The main scientific focus of the cruise is the biodiversity of zooplankton. Our study is a contribution to the international initiative Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ see www.cmarz.org), an oceanic field project of “Census of Marine Life” (CoML see ). The research during this cruise concentrates on the tropical/subtropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean in order to collect and identify the zooplankton distributed throughout the entire water column (to approximately 5000m). The overall goal is to increase knowledge of the zooplankton species composition and richness aswell as to characterize biogeographical distribution and genetic diversity, and to discover new species. The zooplankton sampling will be carried out with a variety of nets, and the samples will be analysed at sea using taxonomical approaches and molecular systematic analysis, including DNA sequencing of a target gene portion for each species.

The zooplankton studies will also contribute to the “Mid-Atlantic Ridge Ecosystem“ (MAR-ECO see www.mar-eco.no ) project, another oceanic field project of “Census of Marine Life” and to the EU Network of Excellence „Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning“ (MarBEF see www.marbef.org) and the European Census of Marine Life (EuroCoML see www.eurocoml.org).

In addition, scientific programmes will be carried out during ANT-XXIV/1 on atmospheric trace gases and persistent organic pollutants in seawater and air. Optical and biological properties of surface waters are being measured for ground truthing satellite observations. As part of the project “Meridional Ocean Radiation Experiment” (MORE) the state of the atmosphere and its effect on the net radiation budget at the sea surface will be determined.

Cruise narrative

26. Oktober 2007: Departing Bremerhaven

30./31. Oktober 2007: Test Parasound

31. Oktober 2007: Calibration Posidonia

05. November 2007: Begin of station work

24. November 2007: End of station work

26. November 2007: Arriving Cape Town